Also, Paulie has 10-5 rights. What makes you think he would consent to a trade? And what team would have traded for him, to which he would consent to go? It's all well and good to say "trade someone" in theory, but it's much more complicated than that.

The bottom line is that very few foresaw this level of hitting ineptitude and this number of injuries.

This team's record would be reversed if not for injuries and historically bad hitting.

I'm not saying replace Paulie, but understand you need to get hitting elsewhere.

Most people saw this happening. Just not many on this board or with the club.

I don't understand your last statement. Historically bad hitting is not a plight that's befallen hitters undeserving. We have a historically bad offense made up of some really bad hitters with poor approaches.

Also, Paulie has 10-5 rights. What makes you think he would consent to a trade? And what team would have traded for him, to which he would consent to go? It's all well and good to say "trade someone" in theory, but it's much more complicated than that.

The bottom line is that very few foresaw this level of hitting ineptitude and this number of injuries.

This team's record would be reversed if not for injuries and historically bad hitting.

Who out there though this offense would be good? It was a lot of wishing and hoping outside of Alex Rios (who's history of sucking every other year was no sure thing) and Konerko

If you remember right, no one wanted to believe Danks wouldn't be ready for the start of the season (so many ridiculous arguments about this). So if Floyd was traded, 99% of people would have said "no problem, Danks is replacing him in the rotation".

JR never would have approved eating salary just to dump the player who handed him the ball from the final out of the World Series. When has he ever approved eating salary?

Even if Danks was 100 healthy on opening day and the Sox dealt Floyd, Sox fans would have questioned Hahn entrusting the back end of the rotation to Quintana, Santiago and/or Axelrod.

__________________The universe is the practical joke of the General at the expense of the Particular, quoth Frater Perdurabo, and laughed. The disciples nearest him wept, seeing the Universal Sorrow. Others laughed, seeing the Universal Joke. Others wept. Others laughed. Others wept because they couldn't see the Joke, and others laughed lest they should be thought not to see the Joke. But though FRATER laughed openly, he wept secretly; and really he neither laughed nor wept. Nor did he mean what he said.

Viciedo had the third lowest OBP for all left fielders in baseball last year. Bland may be stretching a bit, but it's not as much as you think it is.

And only one, Alfonso Soriano, was a regular player.

Seriously, Viciedo was NOT good last year. If you want to believe he has potential, that's your decision. But you can't say he had a good year last year when he was among the worst in baseball. Sorry. That's not going to fly.

Most publications chose Francoeur, but Viciedo was routinely one of the five finalists. so yourself

So you're telling me you would have rather have the likes of Brian Bogusevic play 150 games in the outfield? How about Andres Torres? Wait, don't tell me, Nyjer Morgan?

That statement is so laughable it almost makes me angry. I can't even think of anything to say to reflect how asinine you sound. You always back up your statements so well, show me any respected publication that named Viciedo as one of the 5 worst players in baseball.

Seriously, Viciedo was NOT good last year. If you want to believe he has potential, that's your decision. But you can't say he had a good year last year when he was among the worst in baseball. Sorry. That's not going to fly.

I agree the only thing Viciedo did last year was hit mistakes over the wall. I wasn't ready to throw in the towel with him, but I was getting there before the injury this year.

What other specific moves could the Sox have made to improve the offense that:

1. Would not have required JR approving a significant payroll increase, and

2. Would not have weakened the rotation and/or bullpen?

I think the GM needs to pick a lane and not get caught in between. This rotation when healthy ranks up there with the best in baseball, but this offense on paper was really bad before the season started.

It looks like this team will eventually be blown up, but my fear is it will happen two years later than it should.

I think the GM needs to pick a lane and not get caught in between. This rotation when healthy ranks up there with the best in baseball, but this offense on paper was really bad before the season started.

Does it really though? There's some really good rotations out there. It might be third best in the AL Central alone.